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Maialino's Olive Oil Cake
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432 Reviews
carolbaltimore13
August 4, 2019
I made this yesterday for the second time. The first time I baked this wonderful cake was last year. When I made it yesterday, I left out the milk (a total accident). The cake came out great and baked for exactly one hour: nice crunchy top and very moist. I served this with fresh peaches and vanilla gelato. Best dessert ever!! I will do this again and leave out the milk for my lactose intolerant friends!
Sabina
July 21, 2019
Went slightly off road on this. . . trying to go gluten-free and vegan: used almond flour and omitted the eggs. I doubled the baking powder and soda and added a touch of white wine vinegar and was rather pleased with the results. Added a touch of apple sauce as a binder. The cake was a great texture with no apple taste which is what I wanted. I also substituted lemon juice and grated lemon peel for the orange juice and peel. Replaced the Grand Marnier with limoncello. Topped the cake with warmed Merello cherry jam. It was delicious-- rich, not too sweet, slightly creamy in the middle, crunchy on the edges. Looking forward to lots of off-roading with this recipe.
Manhattan T.
June 10, 2019
Used a springform pan, added full amount of flour (weighed) then thought about it and added about 1.5 Tbs. Bob's Red Mill coarse cornmeal. We used all buttermilk, full amount of sugar and oil and did lemon juice with Gran Marnier. It baked for about 7 min. longer than called for, but my oven does run cool. Next time I might try convection at 325* for 45-50 min. It was absolutely delicious; moist, flavorful, pretty, easy... Will definitely make this again -- and next time will remember the zest!
Mkilfoyle
May 25, 2019
I just took this out of the oven.. I am sure it will be delicious. However I would say it took about 15 minutes longer than the recipe said. I think next time I will bake it in a springform pan. I am using a 10" x 2" at the moment and it came out mounded in the middle with a big crack. I get that it's a muffin cake but I would like a better presentation.
stephanie C.
May 2, 2019
I have made this cake too many times to count. It is a real crowd pleaser! I always get rave reviews. I like to make a mixed berry compote to serve it with. If I have any left over, like to heat a piece up on a cast iron pan and crisp up the sides and eat for breakfast. So. Good!
Summer +.
March 21, 2019
I have made this cake about 6 times, because my family keeps requesting it for everything from apres family dinner to birthday cake. It's a huge hit around here and I'm always happy to make it because it's SO easy and really doesn't take very long. The last time I made it was the first time I experienced an overly moist center like others have posted below. I think it's really dependent on your flour, how old it is and how you measure it.. I'll be making it again tonight!
Ikue T.
February 21, 2019
Based on the reviews and the fact this being an olive oil cake, (I usually love olive oil cakes!) I was excited to make this cake. However, it was disappointing. I don't like the squishy texture of the interior. It is almost too moist. I also couldn't really taste grand marnier. Sadly I think I will stick to my other olive oil cake recipe.
Marques
February 20, 2019
Wonderful crumb and great flavor, for such a simple recipe. I found the center to be a bit sodden, so recommend slightly less oil or to let it bake longer.
joanna
February 17, 2019
I just made this cake last night with fabulous results. Everyone loved it. I was concerned about the amount of sugar (350 g is a lot for me!) So I dialed it back to 175 g and it was perfectly sweet for me and my friends. Also, I reduced the olive oil to just one cup. It worked perfect. I used an orange flavored Armagnac for the liqueur (that's what I had). Love the crunchy exterior of this cake! I served it with whipped creme fraiche sweetened very lightly with maple syrup and pure vanilla. Served with orange, blood orange and grapefruit supremed (cut into segments). I mixed the wet ingredients with a whisk very thoroughly and had no issues with separation.
Iman B.
February 7, 2019
really really good recipe! switched orange zest and juice and for lemon! also did not add the grand marnier.
liz O.
February 5, 2019
Does any old extra virgin work or do you recommend one?
Cook
February 5, 2019
Suggest picking one you like the taste of... they all taste somewhat different.
Some are more "olivey" others are lighter and fruitier tasting. I think that's why they recommend the extra-virgin. I've done some taste testing in the past, and found that (unfortunately) the notice of farm sourcing on the bottle can cost extra money - but sometimes leads to the best flavors.
Also - if you like it in a salad dressing, you'll likely enjoy it in this cake. :)
Some are more "olivey" others are lighter and fruitier tasting. I think that's why they recommend the extra-virgin. I've done some taste testing in the past, and found that (unfortunately) the notice of farm sourcing on the bottle can cost extra money - but sometimes leads to the best flavors.
Also - if you like it in a salad dressing, you'll likely enjoy it in this cake. :)
Victoria A.
February 5, 2019
I make this cake allll the time! I love it especially for breakfast. I replace half of the flour with cornmeal- gives it a nice crunch. Mine has never been "greasy", but it is an olive oil cake, so it's meant to be extra moist. Whenever I bring them out of the oven I tip them out onto a cooling rack for a while and then flip them back over the other way, so maybe that helps with oil pooling in the bottom. Don't skip the orange juice and zest. I also use Triple Sec instead of GM because it's way cheaper. This one of my favorite go-to's from Food52. Everytime I make it for other people it gets rave reviews.
Francesca S.
January 28, 2019
This looks like a fabulous dessert... do you think it’s fancy enough for a Valentines offering? Of course with those beautiful roasted strawberries and lovely whip cream? I appreciate your input Kristen💜
Laurence T.
January 28, 2019
Oh my goodness yes! Its simple yet complex....beautiful....just like love. And isnt that the whole point of Valentines Day?
Francesca S.
January 28, 2019
Thank you for your reply… This seems like a very Italian approach to the desert… I think this is a must have for our dessert tray at work💜
Kristen M.
January 31, 2019
Yes, I agree that this will be a happy dessert anytime you want to serve it, and there are tons of great ideas for dressing it up in this comments thread—I've loved seeing how people get creative with it!
Cook
February 6, 2019
It is indeed the most beautiful, and delicious..... with a caveat....
Something I have noticed when serving this to others: Despite the fact that it's completely drool-worthy to me... it might not be to everyone.
I have several family members who feel the oily texture is not as 'pudding like' as I feel it is. And they're not fond of the distinct orange flavor.
I've added chocolate chips as an attempt to lure them over to the Orange side
- which I also liked, but again - the combo is pretty distinctly different than most folks might like, and it did not receive rave reviews. Which it SHOULD have.
(sigh).
Suggest making cupcakes on a taste test trial first. That way you're not disappointed.
Something I have noticed when serving this to others: Despite the fact that it's completely drool-worthy to me... it might not be to everyone.
I have several family members who feel the oily texture is not as 'pudding like' as I feel it is. And they're not fond of the distinct orange flavor.
I've added chocolate chips as an attempt to lure them over to the Orange side
- which I also liked, but again - the combo is pretty distinctly different than most folks might like, and it did not receive rave reviews. Which it SHOULD have.
(sigh).
Suggest making cupcakes on a taste test trial first. That way you're not disappointed.
Marissa S.
January 20, 2019
This cake is awesome. It's extremely moist and mildly citrusy with a lot of citrus fragrance. I usually don't like citrus in my baked goods but thought this cake was the perfect amount.
Per comments below, I reduced the oil to 1 cup and reduced the sugar to 300 grams.
Also, I pre-heated the pan in the oven for ~5-7 minutes before I combined the wets and drys so that the outside of the cake would form a nice crust.
To serve, I spooned a little bit of Michelle Polzine's slow roasted strawberries on top of a plated slice and put a dallop of fresh whipped cream to top it all off. The combination is marvelous.
Per comments below, I reduced the oil to 1 cup and reduced the sugar to 300 grams.
Also, I pre-heated the pan in the oven for ~5-7 minutes before I combined the wets and drys so that the outside of the cake would form a nice crust.
To serve, I spooned a little bit of Michelle Polzine's slow roasted strawberries on top of a plated slice and put a dallop of fresh whipped cream to top it all off. The combination is marvelous.
Jaye B.
January 5, 2019
I've never made - or eaten - an olive oil cake. I have 4 EVOOs plus a light olive oil. Is there a preference for this recipe to have a more peppery, or greener, or milder olive oil flavor? I'm not sure if there should be a distinctive olive oil taste or does it bake away regardless of which variety is used?
A G.
January 5, 2019
The variety of olive oil DOES make a difference in the final results. I like the strong olive oil taste when I use a stronger and more distinct variety but I know not everyone does. However, a cake made with just light olive oil doesn’t have a very pleasing taste, in my opinion. I usually put 1 cup of a light/mild olive oil and the remaining 1/3 cup of a stronger olive oil. You could always adjust the ratios if desired.
Jaye B.
January 5, 2019
AG - thank you for your reply. Just curious, and as a point of reference, do you consider a Taggiasca olive oil - if you're familiar with it - a stronger or more mellow flavor? Everyone's palate is so different. :)
Taylor S.
January 2, 2019
Incredible. Yes, it is oily but I definitely wouldn't call it "greasy." The orange zest and juice really make this top notch. I baked mine in a loaf pan since I don't have a round cake pan and it came out a little dense on the bottom (but delicious nonetheless)!
Cook
December 7, 2018
Love love love this cake... but I have a need to freeze some... has anybody done that? Does it impact the texture or flavor???
Eunji
December 6, 2018
I have used an almost identical recipe (David Leibovitz) but this one calls for the OJ/GM and the cake has turned out completely wet and greasy.
WinterGal
December 6, 2018
not sure what didn’t work for you. i’ve made this cake more than a dozen times with fabulous results. only i use limoncello and lemon juice. check the size of your cake pan and make sure you bake long enough. the golden color is not “burned” color. perhaps check your oven temp as well. good luck
Eunji
December 6, 2018
Interesting though that a lot of the comments say they got greasy also. I’ll stick with the original recipe I’ve been using. Thank you!
Reshma A.
December 2, 2018
I followed the recipe exactly but my entire cake cracked on top and it looks incredible greasy! I'm terrified to serve it. I'm thinking of doing it over but reducing the oil. Thoughts?
Melissa G.
December 2, 2018
You can make a simple glaze out of vanilla or orange flavoring, powdered sugar and a teaspoon of milk. Just mix it to a running consistency and drizzle over! It's a very moist cake, and if you followed the recipe exactly it should taste fantastic! Good luck!
Yabbadoo
December 2, 2018
It may be the oven is too hot. https://food52.com/blog/15976-why-cakes-crack-how-to-prevent-it
Try whisking the oil with egg yolks first, it will emulsify the oil so it doesn't separate. I mix all wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately and then mix together. I made cup cakes and they turned out perfect.
Try whisking the oil with egg yolks first, it will emulsify the oil so it doesn't separate. I mix all wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately and then mix together. I made cup cakes and they turned out perfect.
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